SC GENERAL AND STRUCTURAL PEST
CONTROL 7A – UPDATED 2024/2025
GRADED A+
What is the series of events from egg to adult called? - Lifecycle
What is metamorphosis? - The change that must take place in before the young
insect matures into an adult is called Metamorphosis
What Phylum do all insect-related animals belong to? - All insect-related animals
such as mites, ticks, and spiders belong to a phulum called the Arthropoda
What are Arachnids? - Spiders, Mites, scorpions, and ticks. Most arthropod pests
are insects or arachnids.
- four pairs of legs
- two body segments (abdomen and cephalothorax)
Name the four control strategies used to attempt the control of arthropods or
rodents. - 1. Resource Management/Environment Manipulation
2. Prevention/Mechanical Barriers
3. Biological Control
4. Chemical Control
Resource Management/Environment Manipulation - Management of food, water,
and shelter availability, and habitat modification to minimize or eliminate pest is
usually one of the most effective methods for controlling pests.
Prevention/Mechanical Barriers - Barriers such as screens, netting, and protective
clothing all are mechanical means to protect people from biting and nuisance
insects.
Biological Control - The use of predators, parasites, and pathogens (insect
diseases) can be effective in controlling some pest species, if the beneficial
organisms can establish themselves or if a population can be maintained.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - This concept uses a combination of biological,
environmental and chemical control methods
IPM- How? - Controlling pests by stressing non-chemical methods is the goal of
pest management programs
, IPM- Why? - An IPM program seeks to maintain to maintain pest populations below
the level at which they cause problems.
IPM - It is an alternative and improved approach to traditional pest management. I
uses information on the life cycles of pests and their interactions with the
environment, in combination with available pest control methods, to manage pests
by the most economical means with the least possible damage to people, property,
and the environment.
IPM- Program - Under an IPM program, spraying is used ONLY when
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
What is the difference between winged ants and termite swarmers? - Thee key
features can quickly identify winged ants:
1. A pinched waist
2. Elbowed antennae
3. Wings of different lengths
Which ant species has a heart-shaped abdomen? - Acrobat Ant
Where do odorous house ants get their name? - The odor they give off when they
are crushed, smells like rotten coconut
What type of control is best for red imported fire ants? - Broadcast baiting followed
by mound drenching
What is "budding"? - When pharaoh ants separate into multiple colonies due to
liquid insecticide treatment
Order - Group of similar families
Complete Metamorphosis - Insect development consisting of four stages: egg,
larva, pupa, and adult
Castes - - ants in a colony are grouped into castes based off of the tasks they
perform.
- Castes consist of workers, queens and alates.
Ant workers - - Sterile females, and they make up the largest cast in the ant colony
- The workers protect the nest against invaders, gather food, serve the queen, and
care for the young ants
Ants (food) - - Collected by foraging workers is passed mouth to mouth among
themselves and to other workers, larvae, and the queen.
- This process is the only means by which the queen and larvae of the ant colony
can obtain food
- This transfer of food is an important element in the design and effectiveness of ant
baits
, Alates - Winged adult fertile males and females that leave existing colonies to
establish new ones
Male ants - - Found in colonies only during swarmer formation
- Sole purpose: mating, and most die soon afterwards.
Control of Ants - - Usually multi-step process including
- Proper Identification
- Location of all nests
- Baiting
- Perimeter barrier treatment
- Non-chemical methods
Five Types of Ants in South Carolina that cause most problems - 1. Red Imported
Fire Ants
2. Argentine Ants
3. Odorous House Ants
4. Pharaoh Ants
5. Acrobat Ants
Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) - - Redish-Brown
- 1/16 to 1/4 of an inch
- Extremely Aggressive
- Workers are different sizes (Polymorphic)
- Prefers open areas, yards, school playgrounds, athletic fields, campgrounds, and
golf courses
- Sometimes nest in gas and water meter boxes, air conditioners, and other electrical
equipment
- Follow pipes into structures
Red Imported Fire Ant Control - -Non-chemical control- lawn cut short
- Chemical control is best option
- Best achieved with two step process:
1. Broadcast a bait
2. Treat individual mounds with an approved mound drench, granule, aerosol, or
dust insecticide
(individual mounds should be treated no sooner than 7 days after baits are applied
Argentine Ants - - Do not sting
- 1/16 of an inch, they are tiny
- light brown to dark brown
- Legs lighter in color
- Multiple Queen colonies, house a few hundred to a few thousand workers
- Usually mate in the nest, so winged swarmers are rare
- Indoors, usually located in moist places or near food
- Outside, usually under rocks, along sidewalks, under plants, they like to climb
bushes and trees
- Prefer food like syrup and sugar
Argentine Ant Control - Non-Chemical
CONTROL 7A – UPDATED 2024/2025
GRADED A+
What is the series of events from egg to adult called? - Lifecycle
What is metamorphosis? - The change that must take place in before the young
insect matures into an adult is called Metamorphosis
What Phylum do all insect-related animals belong to? - All insect-related animals
such as mites, ticks, and spiders belong to a phulum called the Arthropoda
What are Arachnids? - Spiders, Mites, scorpions, and ticks. Most arthropod pests
are insects or arachnids.
- four pairs of legs
- two body segments (abdomen and cephalothorax)
Name the four control strategies used to attempt the control of arthropods or
rodents. - 1. Resource Management/Environment Manipulation
2. Prevention/Mechanical Barriers
3. Biological Control
4. Chemical Control
Resource Management/Environment Manipulation - Management of food, water,
and shelter availability, and habitat modification to minimize or eliminate pest is
usually one of the most effective methods for controlling pests.
Prevention/Mechanical Barriers - Barriers such as screens, netting, and protective
clothing all are mechanical means to protect people from biting and nuisance
insects.
Biological Control - The use of predators, parasites, and pathogens (insect
diseases) can be effective in controlling some pest species, if the beneficial
organisms can establish themselves or if a population can be maintained.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - This concept uses a combination of biological,
environmental and chemical control methods
IPM- How? - Controlling pests by stressing non-chemical methods is the goal of
pest management programs
, IPM- Why? - An IPM program seeks to maintain to maintain pest populations below
the level at which they cause problems.
IPM - It is an alternative and improved approach to traditional pest management. I
uses information on the life cycles of pests and their interactions with the
environment, in combination with available pest control methods, to manage pests
by the most economical means with the least possible damage to people, property,
and the environment.
IPM- Program - Under an IPM program, spraying is used ONLY when
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
What is the difference between winged ants and termite swarmers? - Thee key
features can quickly identify winged ants:
1. A pinched waist
2. Elbowed antennae
3. Wings of different lengths
Which ant species has a heart-shaped abdomen? - Acrobat Ant
Where do odorous house ants get their name? - The odor they give off when they
are crushed, smells like rotten coconut
What type of control is best for red imported fire ants? - Broadcast baiting followed
by mound drenching
What is "budding"? - When pharaoh ants separate into multiple colonies due to
liquid insecticide treatment
Order - Group of similar families
Complete Metamorphosis - Insect development consisting of four stages: egg,
larva, pupa, and adult
Castes - - ants in a colony are grouped into castes based off of the tasks they
perform.
- Castes consist of workers, queens and alates.
Ant workers - - Sterile females, and they make up the largest cast in the ant colony
- The workers protect the nest against invaders, gather food, serve the queen, and
care for the young ants
Ants (food) - - Collected by foraging workers is passed mouth to mouth among
themselves and to other workers, larvae, and the queen.
- This process is the only means by which the queen and larvae of the ant colony
can obtain food
- This transfer of food is an important element in the design and effectiveness of ant
baits
, Alates - Winged adult fertile males and females that leave existing colonies to
establish new ones
Male ants - - Found in colonies only during swarmer formation
- Sole purpose: mating, and most die soon afterwards.
Control of Ants - - Usually multi-step process including
- Proper Identification
- Location of all nests
- Baiting
- Perimeter barrier treatment
- Non-chemical methods
Five Types of Ants in South Carolina that cause most problems - 1. Red Imported
Fire Ants
2. Argentine Ants
3. Odorous House Ants
4. Pharaoh Ants
5. Acrobat Ants
Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) - - Redish-Brown
- 1/16 to 1/4 of an inch
- Extremely Aggressive
- Workers are different sizes (Polymorphic)
- Prefers open areas, yards, school playgrounds, athletic fields, campgrounds, and
golf courses
- Sometimes nest in gas and water meter boxes, air conditioners, and other electrical
equipment
- Follow pipes into structures
Red Imported Fire Ant Control - -Non-chemical control- lawn cut short
- Chemical control is best option
- Best achieved with two step process:
1. Broadcast a bait
2. Treat individual mounds with an approved mound drench, granule, aerosol, or
dust insecticide
(individual mounds should be treated no sooner than 7 days after baits are applied
Argentine Ants - - Do not sting
- 1/16 of an inch, they are tiny
- light brown to dark brown
- Legs lighter in color
- Multiple Queen colonies, house a few hundred to a few thousand workers
- Usually mate in the nest, so winged swarmers are rare
- Indoors, usually located in moist places or near food
- Outside, usually under rocks, along sidewalks, under plants, they like to climb
bushes and trees
- Prefer food like syrup and sugar
Argentine Ant Control - Non-Chemical
